


The legendary buck

by orphan_account



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Fluff, Hunters & Hunting, M/M, Photography, Short One Shot, Tags Are Hard, Tumblr Prompt, could be read as platonic but why would you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:47:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24053866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Prompt: Arthur spends days tracking down a legendary animal only for Albert to insist the he photograph it instead of killing it." There are almost always deer when Arthur needs food, it’s fast and produces a good amount of game. For the amount of deer and buck Arthur brings back to camp, Pearson has tried to crown him for it. But to test his own limits and abilities, he has started to go after legendary animals following that map Hosea gave him. Way up Northwest of Strawberry is marked a spot for the legendary buck. "
Relationships: Albert Mason/Arthur Morgan
Kudos: 26





	The legendary buck

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you anon on tumblr for the prompt!

There are almost always deer when Arthur needs food, it’s fast and produces a good amount of game. For the amount of deer and buck Arthur brings back to camp, Pearson has tried to crown him for it. But to test his own limits and abilities, he has started to go after legendary animals following that map Hosea gave him. Way up Northwest of Strawberry is marked a spot for the legendary buck. 

Arthur sighs as another clue ends being a normal buck with either digestive problems or behavioral issues. He lets it go even when the frustration from being out here in the cold starts to creep up on him. He blows warm air into his hands and rubs them together. Only one forest left to search. His horse is already waiting for him by the road, munching on grass where it grows the longest. “Let’s go, girl.” He says as he gets up on the saddle and ushers her forward, the road should take them straight to the edge of the woods. He takes the map from his saddlebag and looks at it again. He has crossed over the legendary bear and elk, and maybe he should have gone for the wolf next but those things will end up being the death of him. 

Nearing his destination he stops the horse and hitches it up behind some trees, taking his rifle. “We find nothing here and we’re going to strawberry and you can stay in a warm stable, yeah?” He gives the mare an apple and pats her neck, poor thing’s probably had enough of this place just as much as Arthur. 

He goes further into the trees until he reaches a probable place for a couple deer or a herd of them, hopefully one of them being the big one. There’s movement on the open though and Arthur makes out a figure. Damn if some fools out here for the same thing as him, or maybe they already got it. The closer he gets the more obvious it is that it isn’t just some fool, but Albert Mason with his ridiculously clean clothes and camera. 

“Mason.” He greets him and the man practically jumps back in surprise, hand over his heart. “Oh, Mr. Morgan, just you.” 

Arthur nods. “Just me, not a flesh eating wild animal that can talk.” 

“Yes, it’s good to see you again. Although a little odd, what are you doing all the way up here?"

"Huntin', though I could ask you the same thing." 

"You remember when I was photographing those alligators, right?" Albert asks and focuses his attention to the camera again, eyes where the lense is pointed. Arthur does remember, vividly, how he almost got gutted. The pleased look on Albert's face when it was all over was worth it though. "Yeah, I do. Sometimes I wish I could forget." 

"I can see why, but originally I was looking for this huge specimen, up to 14 feet in length. Easy! That's what you'd think, but never found it in the end. This one is more up my alley, a buck."

Arthur let out an amused sound. The very thing he's been hunting for three days and Albert is waiting to get a picture of it, might take a week. "You laugh now, Mr. Morgan, but you'll see it in the gallery next time. That or I'll eat my hat."

"It ain't that, but that buck is what I'm out here for." 

Albert takes his attention away from the camera and looks at the cowboy. "Oh? Well did you get it?" Arthur shakes his head. "Been after it for several days now."

“I see. Say, you wouldn't mind if I showed you some of my recent photos, would you?” Albert asks, already picking up and going through his bag. “I guess not.” Arthur mumbles. The photographer soon gives him a stack of five photos. There's two blue jays standing on a tree stump, a fox with its head perked and looking straight into the camera, egrets, Arthur smiles at the fourth one: a wild horse with its foal, and lastly a crab with a bottle in its claw. Albert really has stayed in warmer waters after Arthur saved him. 

“You can keep one, they aren't going anywhere anyway.”

“Well that's kind of you, thank you.” Arthur takes the one with the horses and gives back the rest. But Albert doesn't look done. "The point is, they're just as good like that on paper - if not even better - when I can 'shoot' them without causing the beautiful creatures any harm, do you understand?"

Arthur frowns lightly. “What I'm trying to say is, please don't hunt down this buck? That way if I get a photo others can see it too.” Albert explains like he’s talking to a log of wood and looks almost nervous. 

“Doesn't putting it up for display just attract more idiots like me?” Arthur’s not too sure about stopping now after so many days, and letting some other asshole take the price instead. “Possibly but at least I’d give a chance for the normal folk to see it and not just skip over another hunting story in the newspaper.” Arthur sighs and crosses his arms, ready to think about it but then Albert gasps. He quickly gets back to his camera and lifts up the magnesium powder. Arthur sees it then, an abnormally large buck, not quite the size of an elk but too big to be carried by horseback. At first his hand itches for the rifle but the longer he stares at it, its large antlers and most of all the coat color of light brown and white spots, he appreciates the uniqueness. Albert makes a sharp whistle so it lifts it head of the grass and then takes the photo with a bright flash. 

The buck is shocked for a second before making a run for it in graceful jumps. “There we go, I think that turned out magnificent.” Albert muses and there it is again, the satisfaction and happiness the man gets out of his work. Arthur only wishes to feel the same one day. “I’m sorry for your wasted your time.” The photographer says apologetically but Arthur only waves him off. “Nah, It’s a good thing you’re doing.”  
That seems to lighten Albert up. “It’s quite cruel out here, what would you say about a drink before we get mauled by a cougar?”


End file.
